April 13, 2009

PSC Names Honorees for CUNY Day Breakfast

For their untiring work on Fiterman Hall, the BMCC building destroyed on September 11, 2001, and now being slowly dismantled and rebuilt, the PSC will honor Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; City Councilmembers Alan Gerson and Charles Barron; the BMCC Chapter, represented by chapter chair Rebecca Hill; and Joan Greenbaum, the PSC liaison to the WTC Community Labor Coalition. The union will also honor the Fiscal Policy Institute for their January report about NYS underfunding of public higher education and the New York State Youth Leadership Council for their work on the DREAM Act and for fair funding for CUNY.

Union Election Ballots Due April 29

Ballots for the election of CUNY-wide union officers were mailed Wednesday, 4/1, by the American Arbitration Association (AAA). To be eligible to vote, members must have been in good standing for at least four months when the ballots were mailed. If you believe yourself eligible to vote and have not received your ballot, contact PSC Coordinator of Office Services Barbara Gabriel at 212-354-1252 for a duplicate ballot or to check your membership status. The AAA must receive ballots by 5:00 pm on 4/29 and will count them the following day. The March/April issue of Clarion has lists of and statements from the candidates.

Last Campus Budget Hearings

There is still a chance to add your voice to the call for fair funding for CUNY—especially as enrollments skyrocket. Join the PSC at one of the last Budget Hearings, even if it is not on your campus. They are:

April 30 – Hostos (at 3:30)
May 7 – LaGuardia (at 2:00)

The union is proud to have DC37, University Student Senate, and NYPIRG co-sponsor the hearings. Be there, be heard! Find more information on the PSC website.

Get Up to Speed on LEED on Earth Day

The PSC Health and Safety Watchdogs and Green Team invite all members to a workshop with Jodi Smits Anderson, director of sustainability programs at DASNY, on Wednesday, April 22 at 6:30 pm. The discussion will include environmentally friendly building design and CUNY’s plans for LEED certification on new buildings at 11 campuses. It’s in the PSC Union Hall, 61 Broadway, 16th Floor.

Next Budget Policy and Media Training Day is Friday, 4/24

Dozens of PSC members have learned more about the budget and how to talk about it at the PSC’s Policy and Media Trainings. On April 24, PSC Director of Research Kate Pfordresher and Coordinator of Communications Dania Rajendra will discuss the implications for CUNY of the state budget and city budget proposals. Come back to learn the news, or come for the first time to hear the numbers and polish your sound-bite crafting skills. The trainings are two hours, and will be offered at 10 am, 1 pm, and 4 pm on Friday, 4/24. RSVP to PSC Legislative/Communications Associate Amanda Magalhaes by email or at 212-354-1252.

Theater Party at the Working Theater
The PSC Retirees Chapter and the PSC Women’s Committee are sponsoring a theater party for all PSC members. Join them at the Working Theater’s production of “Exit Cuckoo” on Sunday, 5/3 at 3 pm at the Clurman Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street (at Ninth Avenue). The current Clarion has more details. Tickets are $19 each. To reserve tickets, send a check to the PSC, c/o Faye Alladin, 61 Broadway, 15th floor, NY, NY 10006. It must be received no later than Monday, 4/19.

The PSC Mourns the Passing of Jane Young, Longtime Chapter Chair at BMCC

Dr. Jane Young, PSC chapter chair at BMCC from 2001 to 2008, died on April 10 after a valiant battle with mesothelioma. Jane had been a member of the English Department at BMCC for 43 years, where her success in helping entry-level students with writing was legendary. She led the faculty as they coped with the loss of six students and the destruction of a classroom building, Fiterman Hall, in the attack on September 11, as well as the dramatic problems of space and air quality in the ensuing months. Jane was named Higher Education Member of the Year in New York State by NYSUT in 2007. She was to have been honored at the CUNY Day Breakfast this month. Colleagues who wish to visit her family or contribute to a memorial fund should call or email Amanda Magalhaes at the PSC, 212-354-1252, for details.